engagements and proposals
looking to propose?
all proposals include
People invest in proposal photography because it captures a once-in-a-lifetime moment that unfolds quickly and can never be recreated. A skilled proposal photographer knows how to anticipate the moment without interrupting it—working discreetly, understanding light and timing, and being ready the instant it happens. This allows you to stay fully present while preserving the raw emotion, surprise, and joy of the moment. These images become the beginning of your engagement story—showing not just that you said “yes,” but how it truly felt when it happened.
I have been shooting proposals on the Monterey Peninsula for 20 years and I would love to help you set up the proposal of your dreams.
the
not
No awkward posing, just real beautiful moments
650+
20 +
500 +
30 +
100%
MARCO ABOUT HIS PROPOSAL TO KENDALL AT THE HIGHLANDS INN
"Great experience with Heidi. Super communicative and made everything run smoothly. We love our pictures. Would highly recommend."
DAVID ABOUT HIS PROPOSAL TO SYDNEY AT GARRAPATA STATE BEACH IN BIG SUR
"Heidi was awesome to work with throughout the entire planning process for my proposal in Big Sur. All the photo's turned out amazing, and she was super fun and efficient during the photo session, and even included some videos of the proposal as well. She shocked us on the quick turnaround time for the photos, and I would definitely recommend booking her for any sessions along the Central Coast."
ricardo about his proposal to karina at carmel river state beach
"Amazing Job. Heidi took some beautiful engagement photos of my fiancé and I. I'm so so so so thankful my fiancé found her to take these special photos for us."
dimitrius about his proposal to lauren at the highlands Inn
"We are beyond grateful to have had Heidi capture one of the most special moments of our lives, our engagement back in May. From start to finish, she made the experience feel effortless and so much fun. She has an incredible eye for detail and emotion, and every single photo reflects the joy we felt in that moment. She included our dog in the shoot—and somehow managed to get the sweetest, most candid shots of all three of us. She made us feel completely at ease, and it shows in every photo."
anthony about his proposal to sara at carmel beach
"Amazing experience! Heidi was such a joy to work with, knew the area incredibly well, helped with the setup. Basically just took all the headache away. Not to mention our pictures turned out perfect. Couldn't ask for someone better to capture our moment. Thanks again Heidi!"
Make sure your prints don't go to the digital graveyard! This ensures you get some printed right away to treasure for the rest of your lives.
Friends and family can use discounts too.
Because I work with an assistant, we’re able to blend in seamlessly—so your partner never realizes what’s happening and the moment stays completely authentic.
I’m happy to help you choose the perfect proposal location based on the experience you’re hoping to create. Whether that’s a quiet beach, a scenic park, a dramatic cliffside, or something more refined—like a winery, golf resort, or a private ocean-view deck just for the two of you—we’ll find a setting that feels natural, meaningful, and unforgettable.
We know how excited you will be to share your beautiful proposal right away with friends/family. We've got you!
You’ll receive approximately 100–150 images per hour, with most couples receiving significantly more. All images are fully hand-edited and delivered as high-resolution digital JPEGs through a private online gallery, available for one year, with easy downloading and sharing for friends and family.
All California state parks and beaches require permits for proposal photography. I pay over $1,000 annually in state park permit fees, which helps support the care and operation of our parks.
For couples proposing at Garrapata (Big Sur) or Carmel River State Beach, there is no additional permit fee. Having the proper permits in place ensures your proposal won’t be interrupted by park staff and allows the moment to unfold smoothly and stress-free—exactly as it should.
Don’t let your proposal be interrupted by an unnecessary fine. We have seen it happen. Don't risk it.
You’ll have access to beautifully styled proposal setups, from “MARRY ME” signage and cozy blankets to elegant picnic details, pillows, and more. We’ve partnered with a talented designer who can thoughtfully create a custom setting that reflects your vision and makes the moment feel truly unforgettable.
In addition to helping you find the perfect spot, I’ll walk you through the proposal step by step so your partner won’t suspect a thing until you’re down on one knee. I use a proven, foolproof approach I’ve refined over 20 years, ensuring the moment unfolds naturally, smoothly, and exactly as planned.
I’ve lived on the Monterey Peninsula for over 30 years, so I know all the hidden spots, great vendors, and the best places to eat—mostly because I’ve worked with them and genuinely love exploring and eating out locally. That local, insider knowledge makes planning feel easier and more personal.
make it a memory they will share for years
We work with a couple of incredibly fun and wildly talented designers who know exactly how to create a proposal moment she’ll never forget.
Think glowing “MARRY ME” marquee letters… dreamy beach picnics with champagne… roses, candles, cozy pillows, and all the little details that make it feel straight out of a movie. ✨
Whether you’re envisioning something simple and sweet or completely over-the-top romantic, they can bring your idea to life (and probably make it even better).
Go ahead — take a peek at their work and start dreaming. 💍
Let them know Heidi sent you!
Imagine your fiance-to-be walking up to this beautiful set up. The ideas are almost limitless!
Forage Vintage Rental on Instagram
Something Special Twins on Instagram
proposal design set up businesses
Something Special Twins set up at Highlands Inn for proposal.
Starting at $400 up to $2,000 per design
Reach out to Heidi and let’s jump on a quick Google Meet or phone call to talk through what’s most important to you for your proposal.
We’ll chat about location ideas, the overall feel you’re going for, and what type of proposal fits your relationship best — private and intimate, dramatic and scenic, or beautifully styled and romantic.
I’ll also walk you through how I consistently “pull off” proposals without ever being seen by your significant other. After hundreds of proposals, I’ve mastered the art of blending in until the exact right moment.
If you’re dreaming of proposing in Big Sur or at Carmel River State Beach, I already hold the photography permits required for those locations — your photographer will need to have one. We’ll find the perfect spot together. I’ll send you multiple full galleries to explore so you can choose the exact setting that feels right for you.
Take a look at Heidi's portfolio and reviews.
Once I’ve answered all of your questions and we’ve chosen the perfect proposal location, I’ll send over your confirmation and we’ll be officially set and ready to go.
From there, I’ll share insider tips and tricks — what to wear, where to stand, how to position yourselves — so everything feels natural and photographs beautifully. I’ll guide you through the details so you can focus on the moment.
And if you’d like to celebrate afterward, I’m happy to recommend the perfect local restaurant for the two of you. I’ve lived here for over 30 years — I truly know all the hidden gems.
A couple of days before your proposal I will reach back out again and confirm everything.
After your proposal, I will send you a quick sneak peak of images the next day so you can share them with your friends and family. The rest of your full gallery will be given to you in just days after your proposal.
I often get asked why and how my images look like they do. Words like "clear", "no shadows"... and "these look like they should be on a cover of a magazine"...
in 20 years I'd like you to look at your walls and your album and not wonder what the day actually looked like around you. I shoot in a timeless style you’ll be proud to pass down for generations to come.
As I always say—photography is subjective. In the end, it’s all about what speaks to you.
Using an assistant with portable lighting allows me to give you the best possible lighting in any situation. Whether it’s full sun, partly cloudy, or completely overcast, I can create beautiful, flattering images. Even in dimly lit spaces—like indoor ceremony sites or dark reception rooms—my lighting setup ensures your photos still look crisp, vibrant, and professional.
This also helps me maintain my true-to-color editing style, so your images stay natural and timeless.
Using an assistant with portable lighting allows me to give you the best possible lighting in any situation. Whether it’s full sun, partly cloudy, or completely overcast, I can create beautiful, flattering images. Even in dimly lit spaces—like indoor ceremony sites or dark reception rooms—my lighting setup ensures your photos still look crisp, vibrant, and professional.
This also helps me maintain my true-to-color editing style, so your images stay natural and timeless—just as the day truly looked and felt.
Using an assistant with portable lighting allows me to give you the best possible lighting in any situation. Whether it’s full sun, partly cloudy, or completely overcast, I can create beautiful, flattering images. Even in dimly lit spaces—like indoor ceremony sites or dark reception rooms—my lighting setup ensures your photos still look crisp, vibrant, and professional.
This also helps me maintain my true-to-color editing style, so your images stay natural and timeless—just as the day truly looked and felt.
Using an assistant with portable lighting allows me to give you the best possible lighting in any situation. Whether it’s full sun, partly cloudy, or completely overcast, I can create beautiful, flattering images. Even in dimly lit spaces—like indoor ceremony sites or dark reception rooms—my lighting setup ensures your photos still look crisp, vibrant, and professional.
This also helps me maintain my true-to-color editing style, so your images stay natural and timeless—just as the day truly looked and felt.
Using an assistant with portable lighting allows me to give you the best possible lighting in any situation. Whether it’s full sun, partly cloudy, or completely overcast, I can create beautiful, flattering images. Even in dimly lit spaces—like indoor ceremony sites or dark reception rooms—my lighting setup ensures your photos still look crisp, vibrant, and professional.
This also helps me maintain my true-to-color editing style, so your images stay natural and timeless—just as the day truly looked and felt.
Using an assistant with portable lighting allows me to give you the best possible lighting in any situation. Whether it’s full sun, partly cloudy, or completely overcast, I can create beautiful, flattering images. Even in dimly lit spaces—like indoor ceremony sites or dark reception rooms—my lighting setup ensures your photos still look crisp, vibrant, and professional.
This also helps me maintain my true-to-color editing style, so your images stay natural and timeless—just as the day truly looked and felt.
Using an assistant with portable lighting allows me to give you the best possible lighting in any situation. Whether it’s full sun, partly cloudy, or completely overcast, I can create beautiful, flattering images. Even in dimly lit spaces—like indoor ceremony sites or dark reception rooms—my lighting setup ensures your photos still look crisp, vibrant, and professional.
This also helps me maintain my true-to-color editing style, so your images stay natural and timeless—just as the day truly looked and felt.
Using an assistant with portable lighting allows me to give you the best possible lighting in any situation. Whether it’s full sun, partly cloudy, or completely overcast, I can create beautiful, flattering images. Even in dimly lit spaces—like indoor ceremony sites or dark reception rooms—my lighting setup ensures your photos still look crisp, vibrant, and professional.
This also helps me maintain my true-to-color editing style, so your images stay natural and timeless—just as the day truly looked and felt.
Using an assistant with portable lighting allows me to give you the best possible lighting in any situation. Whether it’s full sun, partly cloudy, or completely overcast, I can create beautiful, flattering images. Even in dimly lit spaces—like indoor ceremony sites or dark reception rooms—my lighting setup ensures your photos still look crisp, vibrant, and professional.
This also helps me maintain my true-to-color editing style, so your images stay natural and timeless—just as the day truly looked and felt.
Using an assistant with portable lighting allows me to give you the best possible lighting in any situation. Whether it’s full sun, partly cloudy, or completely overcast, I can create beautiful, flattering images. Even in dimly lit spaces—like indoor ceremony sites or dark reception rooms—my lighting setup ensures your photos still look crisp, vibrant, and professional.
This also helps me maintain my true-to-color editing style, so your images stay natural and timeless—just as the day truly looked and felt.
Using an assistant with portable lighting allows me to give you the best possible lighting in any situation. Whether it’s full sun, partly cloudy, or completely overcast, I can create beautiful, flattering images. Even in dimly lit spaces—like indoor ceremony sites or dark reception rooms—my lighting setup ensures your photos still look crisp, vibrant, and professional.
This also helps me maintain my true-to-color editing style, so your images stay natural and timeless—just as the day truly looked and felt.
Using an assistant with portable lighting allows me to give you the best possible lighting in any situation. Whether it’s full sun, partly cloudy, or completely overcast, I can create beautiful, flattering images. Even in dimly lit spaces—like indoor ceremony sites or dark reception rooms—my lighting setup ensures your photos still look crisp, vibrant, and professional.
This also helps me maintain my true-to-color editing style, so your images stay natural and timeless—just as the day truly looked and felt.
Using an assistant with portable lighting allows me to give you the best possible lighting in any situation. Whether it’s full sun, partly cloudy, or completely overcast, I can create beautiful, flattering images. Even in dimly lit spaces—like indoor ceremony sites or dark reception rooms—my lighting setup ensures your photos still look crisp, vibrant, and professional.
This also helps me maintain my true-to-color editing style, so your images stay natural and timeless—just as the day truly looked and felt.
Using an assistant with portable lighting allows me to give you the best possible lighting in any situation. Whether it’s full sun, partly cloudy, or completely overcast, I can create beautiful, flattering images. Even in dimly lit spaces—like indoor ceremony sites or dark reception rooms—my lighting setup ensures your photos still look crisp, vibrant, and professional.
This also helps me maintain my true-to-color editing style, so your images stay natural and timeless—just as the day truly looked and felt.
Using an assistant with portable lighting allows me to give you the best possible lighting in any situation. Whether it’s full sun, partly cloudy, or completely overcast, I can create beautiful, flattering images. Even in dimly lit spaces—like indoor ceremony sites or dark reception rooms—my lighting setup ensures your photos still look crisp, vibrant, and professional.
This also helps me maintain my true-to-color editing style, so your images stay natural and timeless—just as the day truly looked and felt.
Using an assistant with portable lighting allows me to give you the best possible lighting in any situation. Whether it’s full sun, partly cloudy, or completely overcast, I can create beautiful, flattering images. Even in dimly lit spaces—like indoor ceremony sites or dark reception rooms—my lighting setup ensures your photos still look crisp, vibrant, and professional.
This also helps me maintain my true-to-color editing style, so your images stay natural and timeless—just as the day truly looked and felt.
Using an assistant with portable lighting allows me to give you the best possible lighting in any situation. Whether it’s full sun, partly cloudy, or completely overcast, I can create beautiful, flattering images. Even in dimly lit spaces—like indoor ceremony sites or dark reception rooms—my lighting setup ensures your photos still look crisp, vibrant, and professional. If I did not have an assistant and shot in this manner, the amount of time it would take me to document your session would be much more substantial.
This also helps me maintain my true-to-color editing style, so your images stay natural and timeless—just as the day truly looked and felt.
We will shoot for an hour, but you can add on additional time if you wish.
$675 - one hour
Additions to Proposals
Want to see what your proposal looked like from above?
We can also capture stunning aerial footage of the big moment — and beautiful overhead views of the two of you walking along the beach afterward, soaking it all in. The perspective from above adds a cinematic, once-in-a-lifetime feel to your story.
Imagine being able to watch your proposal exactly as it happened.
With behind-the-scenes coverage, you’ll see the full story unfold — your anticipation, her reaction, the hugs, the laughter, the happy tears — all in real time. It captures the little moments you may miss in the excitement.
And because proposals are usually such an intimate, private moment between just the two of you, this is a beautiful way to share it with family and friends afterward — allowing them to experience the surprise and joy right along with you.
It’s not just a memory. It’s a story you can relive — and share.
Segments Captured:
• The proposal itself — the build-up, the question, the “YES!”
• Fun, playful moments of the two of you walking together, talking, laughing, and soaking it all in
• Natural portraits of you celebrating, hugging, and taking photos together afterward
one REEL set to music will also be sent to you
and all video footage captured on the iphone 16
Video from above and video from below - you will get it all!
My very first professional shoot back in 2004 was a proposal. I charged $150, and at the time, I was one of the only photographers intentionally documenting proposals. I remember being nervous—not just for myself, but for the couple—because I understood how much that moment mattered. When it was over, I was hooked.
Over the next 22 years, that spark turned into photographing hundreds of proposals. What was once a rare request has grown into its own niche, and proposal photography has truly exploded—along with expectations, preparation, and pricing.
I don’t charge $150 anymore, and for good reason. The planning, discretion, permits, equipment, insurance, and experience required today are far greater than they were back then. But I’ve always believed proposals deserve thoughtful, fair pricing. This is the beginning of your story, and while costs across photography have risen for many reasons, my goal has remained the same: to offer real value, care, and professionalism to couples during one of the most meaningful moments of their lives.
That belief hasn’t changed—only the experience behind it has.
- Location scouting, planning and suggestions
- Full galleries for you to review and find your perfect spot
- Permit fees (which your photographer will need)
- Heidi's signature capture and edit (timeless and natural)
- Heidi's advanced retouching applied to a few images
- Photography assistant with Heidi to help her with gear/lighting/efficiency
- Timeline guidance
- Up 10 100 images and frequently more - sometimes as many as 200
- Private online photo gallery (you can share if you wish)
- High-resolution edited imagery. Included personal-use print release which allows you to print when/where you wish.
- Sneak Peak next day and full gallery delivery within 5-7 days
shall we create
some content together?
on video
the actual proposal
Showing your video in real time to your friends/family is absolutely priceless!
SAME DAY OR NEXT DAY DELIVERY OF CONTENT
Starting at just $125
will you help us choose the perfect location?
Of course. We’ll talk through the vibe you’re envisioning — private and secluded, dramatic ocean cliffs, sandy beach, forested paths, or styled setup. I’ll send full galleries so you can see real proposals at different spots and choose what feels right for you.
why do you love proposals?
Every one is different. Although I have helped plan and photographed over 650 proposals, not one of them has been the same. Everyone has their own story. The look on their face when you propose, that is the most genuine reaction of their love for you.
what makes you unique as a photographer of proposals?
I’ve photographed hundreds along the Monterey and Big Sur coastline, so I know how to plan, position, and capture the moment seamlessly while staying completely unseen. I come with an assistant to your proposal and professional portable strobes, allowing me to create beautiful, flattering results in full sun, heavy fog, or anything in between. Be sure to view the Before & After section to see exactly what I mean.
Because I live locally, I also understand traffic patterns and can monitor weather and radar maps in real time — adjusting as needed to ensure everything runs smoothly.
I hold the required permits for key locations and know coastal light and timing inside and out.
can we go to different locations?
Yes, we can add on more time (over an hour) and go to a second or even a third location. You can change clothing as well if you wish as I have a portable changing tent.
can we get a sneak peak? how fast?
Yes, you will get a substantial sneak peak the next day and all your full gallery within a few days of that. I really believe in getting your beautifully edited portraits back to you right away so you can celebrate with your friends and family.
Can you assist with planning exactly how the moment will happen?
Absolutely — that’s one of the most important parts of what I do.
Then I’ll choreograph exactly how it goes down.
I’ll give you a simple, clear plan:
• Where to park
• Where to walk
• What to say to naturally stop in the perfect spot
• Where to stand
• When to turn
• When to drop to one knee
It will feel completely natural to her — but you’ll know exactly what to do.
You won’t be guessing. You won’t be nervous about logistics. You’ll just focus on the moment.
I will handle the rest. 💍✨
How many pictures will we receive?
You can expect up to 120 images — and very often even more.
All of your imagery will be professionally edited and delivered in high resolution. You’ll also receive a personal-use print release, allowing you to print your photos wherever and whenever you’d like.
Your memories, beautifully captured — and fully yours.
can you recommend restaurants to dine afterwards?
Yes — I’ve lived here over 30 years and know the best romantic spots for celebrating afterward.
Consider getting an aerial view of your proposal
Learn More
The images you receive in your gallery will already be professionally edited for color, tone, contrast, and light skin retouching. My goal is always to present you in the most natural, flattering way while staying true to the authentic feel of the day.
For your wedding or portrait session, I highly recommend working with a professional hair and makeup artist to help you look and feel your absolute best. The elements—like sun, wind, and even humidity—can affect your final images and may emphasize small imperfections such as shine, uneven skin tones, or stray hairs.
After photographing people for over 20 years, one thing I’ve consistently noticed is how much even skin tone and polished styling can elevate your portraits. Matching tones across the face, chest, arms, and hands makes a subtle but beautiful and noticeable difference in your final gallery.
filter through before/after examples
retouching can include
skin edits
body edits
teeth
hair
clothing
READY TO GET STARTED on your proposal?
the
EXPERIENCE
BEGINS HERE
Let’s plan the perfect proposal — seamless, unforgettable, and beautifully captured from the very first “yes.”
© Heidi Borgia Photography - 2026